Effects of vaccination of calves against induced Haemophilus somnus pneumonia

The efficacy of a killed whole-cell Haemophilus somnus bacterin against induced H somnus pneumonia was examined in 10-week-old male calves. Twenty calves were assigned to 1 of the 3 following groups: group 1, nonvaccinated controls (n = 4); group 2, vaccinated once (n = 8); and group 3, vaccinated twice 14 days apart (n = 8). The serum antibody response to vaccination and challenge exposure was evaluated by the bacterial agglutination test and solid-phase immunoassay (SPIA). Vaccinating calves twice, 14 days apart, significantly (P less than 0.05) reduced the severity of clinical signs of pneumonia and gross lesions. Deaths occurred in 1 of 4 nonvaccinated controls, 1 calf vaccinated once, and none of the calves vaccinated twice, 14 days apart. Postvaccination bacterial agglutination titers measured 14 days after the final vaccination were not significantly different between groups 2 and 3, but SPIA titers were significantly (P less than 0.05) higher in groups 2 and 3, compared with those in group 1. The less severe clinical signs of pneumonia observed in group-3 calves, compared with those in calves in groups 1 and 2, were significantly (P less than 0.01) correlated to higher SPIA titers, indicating the protective value of vaccinating twice.